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In search of ... opinions on code snippet libraries

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mwb1100:
For those looking for a snippet library manager, it might be worth looking at QSnipps since it will be offered for free on BDJ sometime in the near future:

  - http://www.bitsdujour.com/software/qsnipps

It supports Windows, Mac and Linux and can pull snippets from a snipplr account.  It can't can't push new snippets to snipplr as far as I can tell, but I'm not sure if that's a limitation of the snipplr API or not (can other snippet managers do it?).

If anyone is familiar with the program, I'd appreciate comments on how it might compare with others.

barney:
Tried Qsnipps a while back.  At that time, I was underwhelmed  :down:.  The help was an FAQ (a series of Fantasy Asked Questions) online, and even that was incorrect  :down: :down: :down:. 

I know how difficult it can be to create documentation, much less keep it up to date, but there are numerous tools available at [semi-]reasonable costs to accomplish that task.  There are also folk for hire who put a program through its paces and document it accordingly, many of whom charge much less than their work is worth.

The cross-platform aspect was nice  :Thmbsup:, albeit a bit buggy, or so it seemed to me at the time.  However, to be fair, I didn't spend a great deal of time dealing with that aspect.  Their five (5) limit was a bit too restrictive - five (5) categories containing five (5) snippets each in the free/demo version - to really examine the inbuilt search capability  :-\.

Information on adding/editing a syntax highlighter was sparse to the point of nudity - little or no coverage at all  :o - although that may be a failing on my part, since I've never created nor customized highlighting code.  I'm unfamiliar with whatever conventions might exist.

One (1) of the features touted was the ability to create a shell/DOS command:
~~~~~ start paste ~~~~~
Run Shell/DOS commands
Do you use the Console/DOS prompt often? Save your commands as ShellApps and run them directly from QSnipps.
~~~~~  end paste  ~~~~~
However, I could not find a way to perform that particular feat of legerdemain  :(.

The drag and drop aspect worked nicely  :),

I'll look at it again when it comes up on BDJ but, as mentioned, my first experience was underwhelming.

So far, Gary Beene's product has been the most useful, but there is considerable difference 'twixt the portable and stationary products.

mitzevo:
If you just need a simple way to store text/code/snippets, try AceText. I wrote a review a few years ago. It's fine for my purposes of storing code snippets, templates, etc. and has a bunch of other handy features. Another big benefit of it is that it is a Clipboard extender also.. Oops, are you using Windows or another? It's a Windows app  ;)

You can assign each clip/text/snippet a tag, and use the AceType  feature (hotkey -- Win+Q) to paste any tagged item into the currently focused window, that's just some basic usage. You prob want to check out before and after snippets too if you need to wrap certain things  ;)

Oh, one last thing, it's commercial/paid software, but hey, if you end up liking it and seeing it's great potential as a powerful snippet library, it's a good investment. Also has portable install option if you wish to put it on a portable drive.  :-*

mwb1100:
Tried Qsnipps a while back.  At that time, I was underwhelmed  :down:.
-barney (June 30, 2012, 09:47 AM)
--- End quote ---

Yes.  I've played around with it a bit now, and it doesn't seem to be quite finished.  There's no doubt that the documentation leaves a lot to be desired.  However, the author is responsive to bug reports and suggestions - at least discussing them via email.  It remains to be seen if those discussions turn into action.

I think the application shows some promise.  Since I have to do some work in the Linux world, I like the multi-platform story.  I hope the rough edges can be worked off sooner rather than later or never.

One (1) of the features touted was the ability to create a shell/DOS command:
~~~~~ start paste ~~~~~
Run Shell/DOS commands
Do you use the Console/DOS prompt often? Save your commands as ShellApps and run them directly from QSnipps.
~~~~~  end paste  ~~~~~

However, I could not find a way to perform that particular feat of legerdemain  :(.
-barney (June 30, 2012, 09:47 AM)
--- End quote ---

As best that I can tell, when you've selected a "ShellApp" script in the main window, a ">" button shows up on the bar above the display of the snippet contents.  Pressing that button will execute the script. the feature seems a bit incomplete:

  - I'd expect that double-clicking on the entry in the snippet list would execute the script, but it doesn't seem to
  - the output from console programs simply goes to a bitbucket somewhere
  - errors (like a bad program name) go unreported

I'm sure there are more. To make this feature usable would require quite a bit of work on the details, I think. Or at the very least clear documentation on how it works so people have a hope of understanding what can and cannot be done.  All that said, this isn't a feature I'm interested in at the moment, so I'm not too worried about it.

I've tried Snip-It Pro in the past, and it was a nicely featured program, but a program like this needs to be light on it's feet, and Snip-It Pro seemed a bit too heavyweight (I think it's a .Net program and that may be part of the story there). My recollection was that Snip-It Pro also hd some issues with multi-monitor setups.  Maintenance/development of Snip-It Pro has stopped or at least slowed to a crawl.

In the meantime, I live with a random collection of files. That has the benefit of being free, portable, and cross platform (more or less - line ending problems sometimes piss me off, but it's actually less of a problem than I would have guessed).

mwb1100:
So far, Gary Beene's product has been the most useful
-barney (June 30, 2012, 09:47 AM)
--- End quote ---

I assume you mean http://www.garybeene.com/sw/gbsnippets.htm

I'll have to look at that sometime - the description makes it sound like it's intended for the PowerBASIC IDE, but maybe it'll work well via the clipboard with other programs, too?

I'll tell you what though... I'm most fascinated by the encyclopedic information on Pepsi he has on his website.

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